In past years, there’s been a debate regarding dance...is it an art or is it a sport? I believe it’s both, since it requires creativity and expression, as well as strength and stamina. However, dance means so much more to me than a measly categorization.

My relationship with dance began when I was only four years old. I started in ballet and tap, but truthfully, I remember not doing much in class. Just a couple years later, I moved away from my studio and picked up Chinese dance instead. But I didn’t actually like dance. I had zero natural talent, zero natural flexibility, and no natural feel for it either. To be honest, my parents only put me in dance because I had terrible posture. They told me that as soon as I learned to stand straight, they would let me quit.

For whatever reason, that took a ridiculously long time. By the time I learned to stand straight and developed that habit, I was already ten, at which point I finally got my splits down (well, at least one side). Naturally, as I started to show more improvement, I started to enjoy dancing more. I still didn’t love it, but I also couldn’t imagine life without it–it had been a part of my life for so long that it almost felt vital.

Eventually, I really began to strive for improvement. I had always been amazed by how talented some of the other dancers were, and while natural talent played a role in some of their dance careers, hard work and dedication were external factors that I previously failed to acknowledge. I began to compare myself to dancers who were better than me–it was healthy competition; it pushed me to be better. I soon realized that I didn’t want to be part of the background anymore. I wanted the solos too. I wanted to develop my relationship with dance.

So that’s what I did. As I got older and school got busier, I gave up piano and golf, both of which I still miss and love, but I couldn’t let go of dance. I felt that my journey with dance just wasn’t over yet. So ironically, I added more dance classes to my schedule and started trying to gain exposure to the various styles of dance that I lacked experience in, which was most of them–contemporary, ballet, jazz, etc.

Fast forward a few years to the present. I’m a sophomore in college studying with the intentions of pursuing a medical degree and/or a Masters degree in public health. However, I’ve declared a minor in dance so that I can push myself further. I figured I’d be taking dance classes every quarter anyway, but I wanted to do more. I’ve already come this far, so why not see how much further I can go?

But to be completely honest, I’m kind of terrified. I’m terrified just at the thought of having to choreograph my own dance. And yet, I’m excited and hopeful. I trust that everything I’ve learned throughout the years will aid me in the creative choreographic process. After all, seeing how far I’ve come since I started just goes to show that hard work does pay off. While practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect in dance, it certainly results in tremendous improvement and muscle memory.

The biggest lesson that dance has taught me is the value of perseverance. If I had given it up simply because I wasn’t good at it, I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Just recently, I came across some old videos of myself dancing at a younger age and quite frankly, I couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous I looked. While I’d always known that dance definitely wasn’t my strong suit, I’d never realized just how bad I was. I was the worst one in my class for a solid five or six years–that’s for sure.

I never would have thought that I’d come as far as I have. At some points, it got so hard to keep going, but I pushed through, and now I’m a stronger dancer than ever before. I’m so much more willing to put myself out there and explore my boundaries. All the strength and willpower that I now possess, I attribute to dance. What started out as a hobby grew into a giant life lesson–a lesson that I would’ve never learned had it not been for my teachers’ persistence and support. So to all my dance teachers–future, present, and past–thank you.